Parking and Transportation Blog
One of the more frequent questions we get asked all the time is about traveling to Salem. It is fairly easy from November to June, but gets progressively harder from July to August. September and October can be very rough.
You can drive to Salem but traffic is crazy in late September and October. There are two ways in and two ways out so you will be stuck in insane “LA-Level” traffic. And then you have to park!
PARKING IN SALEM
There are many options for parking in Salem but it is very limited because of the volume. The city will set up satellite parking at the high school, Salem State University and Salem Hospital and will then bus you into the downtown. You can find that info here: https://www.hauntedhappenings.org/maps-info/parking-shuttle-information/
There are PRIVATE PARKING LOTS that offer parking on weekends in October. Parking there helps benefits local schools and churches.
The Bentley Academy Charter School at 25 Memorial Drive offers parking on weekends in October. This location is outside of the downtown and about a 10-15 minute walk into the downtown.
The Carlton Elementary School at 10 Skerry Street offers weekend parking starting September 28th through October 27th. It is a secure, monitored location. It is day parking only. Cash and Venmo are accepted. It is a quick stroll (5 minutes) to Salem Common and the downtown area.
St. James Church, aka the big red church, offers weekend parking at 160 Federal Street. The church is located within walking distance of the Witchcraft Memorial at Proctor’s Ledge on Pope St. It is also a 10-minute walk into the downtown.
The Catholic Center next to the St. John Paul II church offers parking too. It is located downtown at 35 St. Peter Street. It is a smaller lot so you need to get their early.
Shetland Park at 35 Congress Street offers parking on Saturdays and Sundays in October. There is no public parking allowed there during the week. They are located next to Salem Harbor and is an easy location to quickly get to the downtown.
You can find more information about Salem garages, parking lots and rates at https://www.salem.org/travel-info/parking/
Beware of online scams that offer RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY PARKING at their homes. Some of these are random people from around the country that pick someone’s home in Salem, take your $$$ and then the homeowners call the police when you park in their driveway. It is illegal to charge for driveway parking so don’t fall for this.
UBER, LYFT or TAXI
You can take one of those from surrounding towns and cities into Salem. You can take one from Boston but it could be pricey. However, it can be inexpensive for a group if you are splitting it. But you could hit traffic. You might want to get dropped off outside of the downtown area like the train station, library, St. James Church, Lafayette Street or Salem State University. It could be a 15 minute walk, but that might be better than 30-45 minutes in the car and a $50+ uber ride.
DON’T DRIVE OPTIONS
We highly recommend not driving in the fall. There are a lot of options to get to Salem
NEWBURYPORT/ROCKPORT COMMUTER RAIL
The commuter rail runs from Boston to Newburyport and Rockport. Make sure you apply the schedule for outbound and inbound. Outbound is leaving Boston. Inbound is heading toward Boston. In addition, make sure you get the correct train. The line splits in Beverly so you can take either the Newburyport or Rockport train to return to Beverly. But then the train will proceed north to Newburyport or northeast to Rockport. The conductor will announce which train it is. The schedule will explain that also.
You can find schedules and other important information for the train at
https://www.mbta.com/schedules/CR-Newburyport/line
One trick that many tourists do is park at one of the train stations along the train line and then commute the handful of stops to Salem. Here is a list of the train stops along the line so you can plan your visit. Just remember, many people have this same idea. Go to the link above to see each train stop for parking rates and other helpful info.
The train stops for the Newburyport line are:
Boston (lots of garages)
Chelsea (no parking)
River Works (no parking)
Lynn Interim (11 Ellis St. Lynn, 329 spots; The Ellis lot has 64 spots)
Swampscott (Burrill Street & Railroad Ave, 144 spots)
Salem (252 Bridge Street, 712 spots)
Beverly (10 Park Street, 494 spots)
North Beverly (Enon & Dodge Streets, 86 spots)
Hamilton/Wenham (Bay & Walnut Roads, Hamilton 194 spots)
Ipswich (4 Peatfield Street, 170 spots)
Rowley (70 Railroad Ave, 283 spots)
Newburyport (25 Boston Way, 680 spots).
The train stops for the Rockport line are:
Boston (lots of garages)
Chelsea (no parking)
Riverworks (no parking)
Lynn Interim (11 Ellis St. Lynn, 329 spots; The Ellis lot has 64 spots)
Swampscott (Burrill Street & Railroad Ave, 144 spots)
Salem (252 Bridge Street, 712 spots)
Beverly (10 Park Street, 494 spots)
Montserrat (180 Essex Street, Beverly, 117 spots)
Beverly Farms (1 Oak Street, 25 spots)
Manchester (40 Beach Street, 71 spots)
West Gloucester (290 Essex Ave, 43 spots)
Gloucester (75 Railroad Ave, 100 spots)
Rockport (17 Railroad Ave, 88 spots)
SUBWAY SYSTEM
The subway in Boston comprises five lines (Blue, Green, Orange, Red and Silver). The Blue Line will bring you the closest to Salem.
The Blue Line runs from Wonderland Station in Revere to Bowdoin Station in Boston. There is a blue line stop at Logan Airport in Boston. You can take the free shuttle from your terminal to the Airport Station. Take the outbound subway to Wonderland in Revere, the northernmost point of the subway. Then take an Uber/Lyft to Salem or the 450 or 455 bus to Salem.
https://www.mbta.com/schedules/subway
If you are staying in a hotel in the BOSTON SEAPORT area, you can take the SL3 Bus to Chelsea Station on the Newburyport/Rockport Commuter Rail. Then you take the train up to Salem.
https://www.mbta.com/projects/silver-line-3-chelsea-sl3
BUS TO SALEM
You can also take a bus to Salem. You’ll still hit traffic but you won’t have to park. The 455 bus goes from Wonderland Station (Blue Line) in Revere to Salem Station with stops in Lynn and Swampscott.
https://www.mbta.com/schedules/455/line
The 435 bus goes from Danvers to Salem to Lynn via Peabody Square.
https://www.mbta.com/schedules/435/line
The 450 Bus goes from Salem to Wonderland or Haymarket in Boston
https://www.mbta.com/schedules/450/line
The 451 bus goes from Salem to North Beverly
https://www.mbta.com/schedules/451/line
The 456 bus goes from Lynn to Salem
https://www.mbta.com/schedules/456/line
LOGAN EXPRESS DANVERS BUS
The Logan Express is another way to get from the airport to the Salem area. You can pick the bus up at your terminal at the airport and it goes to the Liberty Tree Mall in Peabody (next to Salem). Then you can take an Uber/Lyft/Taxi to your nearby hotel or to Salem.
https://www.massport.com/logan-airport/getting-to-logan/logan-express/danvers
BOSTON FERRY TO SALEM
You can always take the ferry. It runs from Long Wharf in Boston to Blaney Street in Salem. It is just a 10-15 minute walk from Blaney Street to downtown. You can also take the trolley from the ferry dock in Salem to downtown.
https://www.cityexperiences.com/boston/city-cruises/salem-ferry
AIRPORT FERRY TO BOSTON
There is no ferry from Logan Airport in Boston to Salem. You have to take a ferry from Logan Airport in Boston to Long Wharf Boston across the harbor. To do so, take the #66 shuttle from your airport terminal to the Water Transportation Dock at Logan Airport in Boston.
https://www.cityexperiences.com/boston/city-cruises/water-taxi
OTHER FERRIES
You can find additional ferries to cities along the Boston coastline in Charlestown, East Boston, Hingham, Hull, Quincy and Winthrop. There is also an on demand water taxi that you have to call ahead and book.
https://www.massport.com/logan-airport/getting-to-logan/water-transportation
BOAT MOORINGS AND SLIPS
If you have a boat and plan on sailing into Salem, there are slips available through Safe Harbor Hawthorne Cove Marina, 978-740-9890. Pickering Wharf Marina (978)210-4584 and Mariners Port Marina (781) 631-4800. All rental moorings and slips must register with the Harbormaster Department once assigned by going to our registration system. https://salemma.lynxlog.com
Sorry, no seaplane or helicopter ports available … yet.